Four months. If all goes as planned, that's how long it will take Hewlett-Packard Co. to close on its acquisition of Electronic Data Systems Corp. Not bad for a $13.9 billion transaction. In announcing
a robust third-quarter earnings report -- earnings were up 11%, to $2 billion, revenue rose 10%, to $20 billion -- the company said it expects to close the deal, announced in May, later this month.
There are many benefits to closing a deal quickly -- most of them financial. But the need for speed shouldn't necessarily trump a thoroughly vetted post-close plan. Following its painful integration of Compaq, HP knows this better than most and, based on what chief executive Mark Hurd told analysts Tuesday, the company is doing everything it can
to prevent a repeat. According to Hurd,
more than 500 HP and EDS employees have been dedicated full-time to integration.
It's a good start, for sure. -
Suzanne Stevens
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Juergen Lasowski
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